Samsung patents its first iPhone X clone

Samsung’s design team avoided ripping off the iPhone X’s notch for the Galaxy S9, but that could be about to change. The South Korean company has now patented its first iPhone X clone, complete with a notch at the top of its screen.

Android users are still divided over the notch. Many mocked Apple for its quirky design decision when the iPhone X got its big unveiling last September — but now that rival smartphone makers are adopting it in droves, Android fans are warming to it.

Samsung begins ripping off iPhone X

Samsung has filed a patent for a new smartphone that (unsurprisingly) looks a lot like the iPhone X. It sports super-slim bezels all around its edge-to-edge display, with a notch that houses its front-facing camera and sensors along the top side.

Unlike the iPhone X, the device also features curved panels on its front and back, and a dual-lens rear-facing camera. There is no sign of a fingerprint scanner, which Samsung continues to offer in the Galaxy S9 — but there is a 3.5mm headphone jack.

It should be noted that this is just an illustration for the patent application — not an accurate representation of a future Galaxy phone. With that in mind, we shouldn’t expect next year’s Galaxy S smartphones to look exactly like this.

Samsung wants to eliminate bezels entirely

Nevertheless, it indicates Samsung is at least exploring new designs that incorporate a notch in an effort to decrease the thickness of the bezels above and beneath its displays. It is believed, however, that this solution could be a last resort.

Samsung would prefer to eliminate bezels entirely.Photo: Samsung

Samsung is actually working to eliminate bezels entirely. Another patent filing depicts a device with an edge-to-edge display that is completely unobstucted. The technology that would make this possible was explained in another Samsung patent filing back in January.